Filter



410i i7, 1967 LA VERN R. TlETz ETAL 3,347,390

FILTER Filed July 20, 1964 United States Patent 3,347,390 FILTER La VernR. Tietz, Plymouth, Mich., and Louis F. Niebergall, Racine, `Wis.,assignors to Walker Manufacturing Company, a corporation of DelawareFiled lIuly 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,856 1 Claim. (Cl. 210-448) Thisinvention relates generally to fluid filters, and more particularly, toa disposable or throwaway gasoline filter for use in automotive andsimilar type internal combustion engines.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an extremelysimple and compact gasoline filter which is adapted to effectivelyremove particulate contamination and suspended matter from the fuelthatis transmitted from the gasoline tank to the carburetion system ofan automotive engine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gasolinefilter of the above character that may be used either as an in-linegasoline filter or as a replacement for conventional bowl type gasolinelters.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide agasoline filter whose filtering media comprises a m-olded resinimpregnated fibrous material.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a gasolinefilter of the above character which is of a simple design and istherefore extremely economical to commercially produce.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a preferredembodiment of the gasoline filter of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational View, partially broken away, of thegasoline lter illustrated in FIGURE l, taken in the direction of thearrow 2 thereof; and

FIGURE 3'is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of an alternateembodiment of the gasoline filter of the present invention.

Referring now toFIGURE 1 of the drawing, a disposable or throwawaygasoline filter 10, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, includes a cup-shaped lter housing 12 that is formedwith a cylindrical side wall section 14 which is open on one (right) endand terminates at the opposite (left) end in a fiat end wall section 16.The end of the filter housings side wall section 14 circumjacent theopen (right) end of the housing 12 is formed with a radially outwardlyextending flange section 18 that is crimped around the outer peripheryof a fiat annular end cover plate 20 which is disposed within and closesthe open end of the housing 12. Preferably a non-hardening sealing agentis provided between the -outer periphery of the plate 20 and the filterhousings fiange section 18 to prevent gasoline from leaking out of thehousing 12 at the juncture of these members.

The cover plate Ztl and the filter'housings end wall section 16 areformed with substantially coaxial openings 24 and 26, respectively,within which are nested annular shoulder sections 28 and 30 that areformed on the inner ends of a pair of inlet and outlet fittings 32 and34, respectively. The fittings 32 and 34 are preferably secured to theplate 2f) and end wall section 16 'as by brazing and are formed withaxially extending bores 36 and 38 which function to communicate gasolineto and from the interior of the filter housing 12. The outer end of thebore 36 and of the fitting 34 are threaded and are thus adapted tothreadably receive suitable fittings provided on the automotive fuelline, thereby communicating the fuel line with the interior of thehousing 12. As seen in FIGURES 1 ICC and 2, the fittings 32 and 34 areformed with hexagonal cross-sectioned portions which define a pluralityof wrench-engaging surfaces or facets, generally designated 4l), tofacilitate threadably connecting the fittings 32 and g4 with theirassociated fittings on the automotive fuel The gasoline filtering mediaof the filter 10 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical filter element42 that is supported at its right end by being nested within a radiallyinwardly extending necked-down or swaged section 44 that is formedin theend of the housing 12 adjacent the end wall section 16 thereof. Theopposite (left) end of the filter element 42 is supported within thehousing 12 by being nested between a central concave section 46 and aplurality of circumferentially spaced peripheral crimped sections 48 ofa flat annular end cap 50. As seen in FIG- URE 2, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced gasoline flow paths, generally designated 52,are defined between the outer periphery of the end cap 50 and the innerperiphery of the filter housings side wall section 14. Preferably, theouter diameter of the end caps crimped sections 48 is slightly largerthan the inner diameter of the housing 12 so that upon assembly of thesemembers, a slight interference fit is provided therebetween. Also, theopposite ends of the filter element 42 are secured to the end wallsection 16 of the housing 12, and to the end cap 50, by a suitableadhesive material to prevent possible relative movement of these membersduring engine operation, and also to prevent unfiltered gasoline frombypassing the filter element 42 by flowing around the opposite endsthereof. A plurality of inwardly projecting embossments or indentations,generally designated 53, are formed in the cover plate 20 and areadapted to prevent the end cap 50 from possibly sliding or otherwisemoving into engagement with the inner face of the plate 20 and therebyprevent gasoline from freely flowing into the interior of housing 12through the bore 36 of the inlet fitting 32.

The filter element 42 preferably consists of a resin impregnated fibrousmaterial which is molded into the annular body illustrated in FIGURE 1.More particularly, the filter element 42 consists of a mass yof viscousrayon fibers of approximately 40 denier diameter, disposed in maximumrandom orientation and resin `coated by means of a suitable phenolicresin, for example, phenolformaldehyde resin, and compressed to adensity of `approximately 7.0 grams per cubic inch. Tests have shownthat this composition functions to remove approximately 97 percent ofthe particulate contamination and suspended matter of 60 microns indiameter or greater, and imposes a maximum flow restriction of 4 inchesof H2O, at a gasoline iiow rate of 20 g.p.h. at 80 F.

It will be apparent, of course, that the denier diameter of the rayonfibers and the flow path through the filter element 42 (i.e., theconfiguration of the filter element 42), may be varied to providevarious desired filtering characteristics. Also, it will be evident thatthe resistance to fiow through the filter element 42 and particleretaining characteristics thereof may be varied by increasing ordecreasing the density to which the filtering media comprising thefilter element 42 is compressed.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, a gasoline filter 54, in accordance with analternate construction of the present invention, includes a cylindricalfilter housing comprising a pair of annular, cup-shaped shells 55 and 56which are connected at their respective open ends in a Huid-tight rollseam or joint 57. The outer ends of the shells 55 and 56 are formed withcoaxial, reduced diameter tubular portions which form inlet and outletsections 58 and 60, respectively. The outer ends of the sections 58 and60 are formed with slightly enlarged diameter shoulder portions 62 and64 which serve as slip-on type fittings for remov- D ably receiving andeffectively sealing the ends of an associated gasoline-conduit (notshown) communicating gasoline to and from the filter 54.

Disposed within the shells 55 and 56 is a filter element 66 that ispreferably fabricated of the 'same filtering media as the aforediscussedfilter element 42 and is molded into the annular dome-shaped bodyillustrated in FIG- URE 3 so that a maximum filtering area is exposed tothe gasoline to be filtered. The filter element 66 is slightly smallerin diameter than the inner diameter of the shells 55 and 56 and issupported therewithin by having its Open (left) end nested within aradially inwardly extending necked-down section 63 that is formed aroundthe outer (left) end of the shell 56. As in the aforediscussed gasolinefilter 10, a suitable adhesive material is provided between the end ofthe filter element 66 and the end of the shell 56 in which it issupported to preclude possible relative movement between these membersand to prevent unfiltered gasoline from bypassing the filtered element66 by flowing around the left end thereof.

Because each of the aforediscussed embodiments of he gasoline filter ofthe present invention functions in cssentially the same manner, theoperation of these devices will be described with particular referencebeing made t only gasoline filter 10. In operation, the inlet and outletfittings 32 and 34 are connected to their associated fittings on theautomotive fuel line to communicate gasoline to and from the interior ofthe filter housing 12. Gasoline entering the filter housing 12 throughthe bore 36 of the fitting 32 passes into an inlet chamber 70 defined bythe end cover plate 20 and the filter element end cap 50. The gasolinewithin the chamber 70 then passes through the plurality of thecircumferentially spaced gasoline flow paths 52 and into an annularchamber 72 which is defined by the outer periphery of the filter element42 and the side wall section 14 of the housing 12. The gasolinethereafter passes radially inwardly through the filter element 42 andinto a central annular chamber 74 defined thereby. The gasoline withinthe chamber 74 then passes out of the filter housing 12 through the bore38 in the outlet fitting 34, land is thereafter communicated through theautomotive fuel line to the engine carburetion system.

While it will be apparent that the embodiments herein illustrated arewell calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will beappreciated that the construction of the gasoline filters and 54 aresusceptible to modification, variation and change without departing fromthe proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

A throw away filter for gasoline or the like comprising a two parthousing defining a generally cylindrical filtering Vchamber closed atopposite ends by first and second end walls, fluid inlet passage meansformed in said first end wall, fluid outlet passage means formed in saidsecond end wall, an annular depth type filter body consistingessentially of resin coated rayon fibers molded to a predetermined shapeand density, said filter body defining radially spaced generallycylindrical inner and outer surfaces over a substantial portion of itslength, said inner surface forming a fluid passage opening through oneend of said filter body, means bonded to the other end-of said filterfor forming a closure for the other end of said fluid passage, saidouter surface of said filter body being disposed radially inwardly of amajor portion of the length of said housing for fluid communicationbetween said filtering chamber and said outer surface of said filterbody for radial fluid flow through said filter body between said innerand outer surfaces, said means for forming a closure for said other endof said fluid passage being spaced from one of said housing end wallsand having circumferentially spaced peripheral means engaging saidhousing for centering said filter body within said housing, and meansfor bonding said one end of said filter body to the other of saidhousing end walls around the respective fluid passage means therein fora fluid communication between said filter body fluid passage and saidend wall fluid passage means, said housing having a radially inwardlyextending portion adjacent said end wall in engagement with the adjacentportion rof said filter body outer surface for radially locating saidfilter body within said cylindrical filtering chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,357,392 9/ 1944 Francis.

2,644,586 7/1953 Cutter 210-448 X 2,804,211 8/1957 Kennedy 210-444 X2,834,730 5/1958 Painter et al. 210--508 X 2,932,398 4/1960 Korte210-448 X 2,979,208 4/ 1961 Humbert. 3,202,287 8/ 1965 Szwargulski210-448 X 3,237,776 3/1966 Painter et al 210-508 X 3,253,715 5/1966Painter et al. 2l0-508 X REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner'.

F. W. MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner.

